Merchandise Planner

Merchandise Planner, Job Description

Rhoback is seeking a proactive, highly analytical Merchandise Planner to join our Planning team. This role is responsible for managing SKU‑level sales and inventory forecasting to guide purchase orders and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate is an Excel expert with strong retail or consumer goods experience and a demonstrated background in planning, forecasting, and inventory management. This individual will work cross‑functionally with Merchandising, Finance, Production, and Rhoback’s Founders.

Location:

Charlottesville, VA

• Update, maintain, and continuously improve bottoms‑up, SKU‑level monthly demand forecasts across all product categories and sales channels.
• Balance item‑level demand plans against supply plans; monitor stock levels and proactively flag demand/supply imbalances.
• Partner with Planning to align on open‑to‑buy (OTB) plans and reconcile tops‑down vs. bottoms‑up forecasts by sales channel and product category.
• Aggregate demand forecasts across channels to determine total company buy quantities for PO review meetings.
• Analyze historical sales data by size and category to inform sizing ratios and optimize sell‑through.
• Collaborate with Merchandising on trend analyses—item rankings, comps, marketing campaigns, and category performance—to inform forecasts.
• Support pre‑season planning to build seasonal assortments based on channel performance, SKU productivity, WOS/turn targets, and visual merchandising considerations.
• Partner with Planning, Merchandising, and Operations teams to execute transfer orders and reserve orders to support timely fulfillment across channels and store locations.
• Communicate regularly with Retail Store Managers to understand needs and ensure timely response to inventory requests.
• Develop replenishment plans by sales channel/store location based on historical trends and internal strategies.
• Track and manage replenishable vs. non‑replenishable products using sales trends, inventory levels, sell‑through, and seasonality to drive optimal results.
• Monitor embroidered inventory against forecasted demand to ensure stock availability and meet service‑level requirements.
• Identify and resolve system‑related issues tied to PO delays, customer requests, oversells, or marketing timeline changes.
• Maintain seasonal style master files to ensure data accuracy and proper merchandise valuation.
• Participate in strategic planning sessions with Finance and Marketing to provide insights on SKU/product/color performance and inventory positions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of existing forecasting tools, models, and Excel files.

• Highly analytical with exceptional attention to detail.
• Expertise in Microsoft Excel; demonstrated experience building and improving forecasting models.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to influence decisions using data‑driven insights.
• Self‑starter with a bias toward action and a “no task too small” attitude.
• Creativity, adaptability, and willingness to embrace new approaches.
• High integrity and strong sense of accountability.

• Deliver accurate, data‑driven SKU‑level forecasts that inform smart buying decisions, maintain healthy inventory levels, and improve sell‑through and inventory turns.
• Strengthen Rhoback’s planning capabilities by enhancing forecasting models, reporting tools, and cross‑functional processes.
• Provide clear, proactive insights that surface meaningful business trends and support fast, informed decision‑making across teams.
• Build strong cross‑functional partnerships through reliable communication, attention to detail, and high‑quality execution.
• Operate as a self‑starter who anticipates risks and opportunities, drives continuous improvement, and embodies Rhoback’s values with a “no task too small” mindset.

• Minimum 2 years of merchandise planning or related experience
• Must have hands‑on apparel experience, particularly in managing sizing standards and seasonal product cycles
• Bachelor’s degree…